


In Your Own Time

by Phnx



Category: Hikaru no Go
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-23
Updated: 2012-09-23
Packaged: 2017-11-14 21:12:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,575
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/519556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phnx/pseuds/Phnx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Saeki always goes with the flow, even when he starts to wonder if he's somehow wound up in the wrong river.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Your Own Time

**Author's Note:**

  * For [stillskies](https://archiveofourown.org/users/stillskies/gifts).



_Almost there… Almost… there…!_

“Hey… Saeki-san?”

Saeki sighed, hand falling away from the door as he turned to face the speaker. “I’m actually running a little late, Shindou, so—”

“This’ll be really quick, I promise. Just… could I please talk to you for a second?”

Saeki forced a smile and nodded weakly.

…And waited.

“You wanted to ask me about something, Shindou?” he finally prompted after an awkward silence.

Shindou glanced around the entrance of the Ki-in, which was almost completely devoid of human life. “Uh… could we talk about it somewhere else, maybe?” he asked, already leading Saeki out the building.

Saeki followed, staring mournfully at his watch.

\--

“Shindou… I thought you said this wouldn’t take very long… Do you really need to order food for this conversation?”

“I’m hungry, okay? And it’s easier to talk about big things over food. Aren’t you getting anything?”

“I’ve already made plans for dinner at a study session. Which I am currently late for. In case that’s slipped your mind.”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah.” There was a pause as Shindou seemed to gather himself. “So like… how did you come to terms with… you know… your _feelings_?”

“…My what?”

Shindou raised his voice, which had been uncharacteristically soft-spoken, to a stage whisper. “It’s okay, Saeki-san—you can tell me!” He seemed to think he was being sneaky. “I know all about you and Ashiwara-san.” People sitting on the other side of the restaurant turned to stare. Saeki slid down in his seat and tugged up his collar, face burning. “What I wanna know is… How’d you like… _realise_ your feelings? I mean, he’s from Team Touya, ya know? Past enemy lines an’ stuff. And rivalry, it’s all crazy passion and stuff, just like… you know… _feelings_ , and so… how did you realise it wasn’t just rivalry anymore, but was actually… you know… _stuff_?”

Saeki pinched the bridge of his nose. “Shindou. This is about Touya.”

“Wha—What? No! NO! I was just wondering. I mean. About you. And Ashiwara-san. For no reason. At all.”

“ _Shindou._ ”

“Okay… So maybe it has a little something to do with Touya. I mean. It’s not like I _like_ like him or anything. He’s just, you know. My rival. And pretty. And—”

“Shindou, there’s nothing wrong with liking Touya, even though he comes from our rival study group. And while rivalry can be full of passion, I don’t think it really covers the full scope of all your feelings toward Touya.” _It’s quite possible that no words can, in fact. Even ones like ‘crazed obsession’ seem to fall short of the mark._

“…Oh.”

“So even though you may be surprised by your feelings, you need to realise that they’re nothing to be ashamed or frightened of, and I think you’ll be a lot happier when you learn to accept them.”

“…”

“Does that help?”

“…Yes.”

“Good. Now, I’m heading off for my study meeting. Good luck, Shindou.”

“…Thanks.”

\--

The study session was being held at Morishita’s house today, and it should have started five minutes earlier; he was still twenty minutes away, and since he was the only guest, it was hard to imagine that he wouldn’t be missed.

_Couldn’t you have asked someone else about your life-changing realisations, Shindou? Or at least have waited until tomorrow?_

He was almost there when he remembered that he still hadn’t bought a housewarming gift. He tried to figure out which was ruder—arriving ridiculously late or arriving giftless—and miserably turned back to find a store. After all, he was already late. A few more minutes couldn’t make it much worse.

He was debating between udon and manjuu when he was called out of his reverie—by name—and looked up to see Yashiro Kiyoharu staring back at him, wide-eyed.

Saeki didn’t know Yashiro very well, and hadn’t even been formally introduced to him. He was surprised Yashiro even knew who he was. “Hello—I hadn’t realised you were in Tokyo.”

“Uh… Yeah. I came in earlier today. My hotel is around here.”

“That’s nice. I was actually just on my way to a study session, and I’m running a little—”

“Is it alright if I ask you something?” Yashiro’s voice was rushed, and he sounded a little panicky.

Saeki had never seen Yashiro like this—admittedly, he’d rarely seen Yashiro period, but that was certainly not the point. Something big must have happened to throw the kid off his kilter. He glanced at his watch and sighed.

“What is it?”

“I just—How did you get with Ashiwara-san?”

“Wait… what?”

“I mean, you’re from rival groups and everything, right? So that’s kind of the same as… Okay. There’s this guy. Who I like. And he’s a total pretty-boy asshole. But he doesn’t even seem to notice me except as a go opponent, and I don’t know how to get him to see _me_ , not just as Team Japan’s third chair, but as _me_. Especially since we only seem to meet when we’re playing against Korea in an international tournament. So what should I do?”

_Why is this happening to me? What horrible deed did I commit to deserve this?_

“Yashiro-kun… I get the feeling you’re talking about Ko Yeongha-san?”

“Uh… yeah.”

“I think you’re going to have to take the initiative in this case. Approach him, spend time with him at the tournaments, get his contact information, and work your way up from there. Use that time to show him what you’re like outside of your go.”

“…Right. Okay. Right.”

“I hope that helps. I’m sorry to leave so abruptly, but I’m running really late, and I—”

“No, I get it. Thanks for the advice.”

Saeki grabbed the manjuu and rushed out of the store with his purchase, which was very kindly received when he arrived at the Morishita house—forty-five minutes late.

Fortunately, there’d apparently been a last-minute addition to his private study session, so he entered the washitsu to find Morishita so caught up in his ire at Waya for some unknown misplay that he didn’t even realise Saeki was coming in late.

When Morishita excused himself for a moment, though, Waya looked up at Saeki with nervous eyes. “Hey… Saeki-san?”

_Oh no. Not again._

“About you and Ashiwara-san…”

Saeki, who’d drawn a few parallels from his past two conversations, had been prepared for this, and withstood the allusion stoically.

“I just wanted you to know that I’m totally on your side, and I won’t let a word slip to Morishita-sensei about all of this.”

“I really appreciate that, Waya,” Saeki replied carefully. “It’s nice to know I can depend on you.”

Waya flashed him a bright smile, but before he could continue the conversation, Morishita returned.

Thankfully.

After that, the study session continued on without a bump until the end. Waya had had to leave early, but Saeki stayed behind for a few last pointers. He was explaining several weak points in black’s defense when he glanced up to see Morishita staring at him solemnly.

_This can’t be happening._

“Saeki-kun… I know I’ve come on a little strongly about this whole rivalry business…”

_‘A little strongly?’ Is that what they’re calling it these days?_

“But rivalry isn’t everything. I never want you to be afraid to be yourself around your friends, especially not among the other members of my study group. Never forgot—study groups are thicker than water.”

“Uh... huh?”

“But don’t let that curly-haired buffoon trick you into losing! Whatever you do together in your private lives, you crush him on the goban, understand me?”

“Yes, sir!”

When Saeki arrived home, he was tired, cross, and extremely unimpressed when his cell phone immediately lit up, announcing an incoming call. He collapsed onto his couch and answered, not bothering to check who was calling.

“Saeki~kun! I wasn’t sure you’d pick up. I heard you were in a study session until pretty late tonight.”

Ashiwara. Gah.

“Yeah… I just got out. I’m kind of tired, so if you wouldn’t mind, I’d—”

“Did you hear that we’re dating?”

“…Oh no, not you, too.”

“It seems as though everyone’s been asking me for advice or giving me encouragement today. Even Touya-sensei! Akira! _Ogata_!”

Saeki sniggered. “ _Ogata_? Seriously?”

“I even got a call from _Ko Yeongha_.”

“…I’m sensing a conspiracy.”

“Oh? To do what?”

“...Something. Definitely something.”

There was a pause at the other end. “Do you think we should be upset? That they assumed...”

Saeki closed his eyes. “I don’t know… I was at first, but… I’m mostly just irritated at everyone sticking their noses into my—our—business.”

“So you’re not bothered by…”

“I… no. Are you?”

“Oh, of course not! I’ve been aiming us in that general direction anyway; I just wasn’t planning for things to go this quickly!”

Saeki laughed. “We’ve known each other for how long? How slowly were you planning to take it?”

“I’m not measuring by _time_ , I’m measuring by _your reactions_ , which up until now have been rather disheartening, I must admit.”

“Well, blame our moron friends for your crushed plans, not me. I’m free tomorrow evening, by the way.”

“Oh? I guess I’ll see you then.”

“I guess so.”

Saeki rolled over on the couch once they’d hung up and bashed his face against the cushioned armrest. That had been the weirdest and most anticlimactic get-together in the history of romantic intrigue.

He smirked. It’d make a great story to disappoint all those busybodies.

-END-


End file.
